Witness Presence Not Required for Party Membership Signing, Says Minister

The Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, told Parliament today that witnesses are not required to sign political party membership forms in the presence of the individuals completing them.

He was summoned to respond to questions concerning allegations that membership forms for the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) were being filled out inside the meeting room of the Department of National Registration (DNR). These allegations surfaced during a no-confidence motion previously raised by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

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During earlier parliamentary proceedings, Minister Ihusaan acknowledged having signed several forms as a witness. However, MDP members questioned whether officials from the Home Ministry had acted as witnesses without the individuals submitting the forms being physically present.

In response, Minister Ihusaan explained that the procedure requires the witness to attest to the accuracy of the form’s information, but it does not require the applicant’s presence at the time of signing. He emphasised that the witness confirms the validity of the details rather than physically overseeing the signing.

Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir raised concerns over the wording in the affidavit section of the membership form, which states that the application was signed in the presence of the witness. In response, Ihusaan clarified that while the applicant must sign in front of a party representative, the witness may complete their section separately and at a later time.

Social media posts have circulated images alleged to show forms signed by the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs responsible for the DNR. These posts have raised concerns about possible misuse. Ihusaan rejected the claims, stating he had not signed any PNC membership forms as a witness and believed the images shared online to be falsified.

Despite opposition criticism, the government-majority Parliament ultimately voted in favour of the minister following a debate on the no-confidence motion.

The PNC is currently running a membership campaign aimed at enrolling 75,000 members. A large number of forms have already been submitted to the Elections Commission, including applications from some MDP National Assembly members, such as Vikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad.